Mechanical tractor



Sept. 23, 1930. c. BOUCHE IECHANICAL TRACTOR Filed March 3, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Invenkom charlesBouch attorney:

Sept. 23, 1930. c. BOUCHE IECHANICAL TRACTOR Filed March 3, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor: CharLesBouch attorney:

c. BOUCHE ,776,486

MECHANICAL TRACTOR Filed March 3, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 W rw- Sept. 23, 1930.

\ Invmbor: chulu Bow-he B Y I Rainy:

Patented Sept. 23. 1930 j; ,oHAnLEs Boucrie'or nnUssELs. BELGIUM 2 iunenamcan TRACTOR general to all tracto'rs designed to move on roads, soft uneven; grounds, ice and the like,

and which are moved forwardlyon roads by means 10f wheels, while on 7 soft or uneven grounds (ploughed up grounds) or on ice s uchforward movementis secured by means of drivingjmembers engaging the ground to form a numberof successive points of resistance.

provision of a'tracto'r member inwhich the driving memberssuccessively forming abut nentsorresiStanceS in the ground are carried bythe wheel or wheelsof the tractor in such a way that in'allpositions they will alwaysremain parallel to themselves.

. ,,-Ano,ther feature of my invention is the arrangement of said driving members, in such .a .way that for the forward movement on roads they may be withdrawn by a single op,- eration, at the sametimeremaining parallel to; themselves. 1

A further feature of. my invention is the;

particular bilateral arrangement of the driving membe'rs, whereby for a given tractor di-- mension and prescribed length of said membe'r:,th'e number of the latter maybe increased in such away, that the tractor will be moved forwardly in a uniform way without shocks 1 and, supplemental expense of power.

giaThe invention isillustrated in the accom panying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view in diagrammatic form showing the-end disk sections and sleeve connector ofa wheel, with a blade'in position therebetween and the operating means at one end of the wheel. I I

1 Fig.2 is asimilar view showing the means for utilizing a plurality ofjblade carrying shafts and maintaining them against revolu-,

tion during the rotation of the wheel.

Fig.3 is a'diagrammatic perspective view showing a plurality of blade. carrying shafts arranged between the disks forming the wheel.

I Fig-dis asimilar view showing two wheel sections united to form a singlewheel element, the; blade carryingshafts of one of the sepae main: feature of my invention is the rying the blades.

. 172,517, and in Belgium January 29,1927. I

rate wheel sections being offset from the blade carrying shafts of the other wheel section.

Fig.6 is a 'diagrammaticelevation of the in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 isan elevation of a further modified form ofblade. d d

' Fig. 13 is aplan viewof one'of the pinions whose, shaft'carriesablade.

Fig. 14 is an outline view of ajtractorwith the improved traction members in position. A 4 a Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the central disk supportingthe shafts of the pinions car- Fig.16 is an endelevation showing such central disk in position? and cooperating parts inconnected relation thereto. i i; v Fig. '17 is an edge view of the disk shown in Fig.15. I Fig. 18, is 'a perspective view of the central diskinclosed'form; Fig. 19 is a sectional view of a detail,'part-,. ly'broken out. M

Fig. 20 is a more or less diagrammatic elevationof a modified form for withdrawing the blades from operative positions. 1 i One ofthe main conditionsifjnot the most important-of. agricultural tractors is to .firmly adhere-to the ground at anytime and on anygrou'nd. In the case of hard and 7 even grounds, the adherence will be suificient I thus forming a number of abutments securingperfect and continuous adherence of the tractor on the ground. 7

'In order to practically, reliably and perfectly secure the engagement of said blades and cause the same to be forced into the ground and, withdrawn from the same with a a minimum expense of power; it will be necessary that said blades beforced in andwith-V drawn vertically and remain vertical, dur-' ing their contact'with the ground; or more exactly that they continuously :e'xtend yatl right angles to the ground. Briefly stated it will be important that all the blades (orsimr equivale me ber ema n parallel in all positions"notwithstanding the movement of the wheel "or wheels carrying them. i r

' This essential feature is obtained .by' my invention a verysingle way and may be disclosed as "follows; 1 I v I 1 designates '(Fig.1)"a wheel ordisc' loose- 7 i the pinions 2 and, 3. It will beseen' that if the whole. arrangement "is moved through a; c mp t reve a i n. aro d th i in y central axis,-the intermediate Wheel 4' carried away .by the disc 1 Will roll on' the fixed pinion 2 and thus cause the pinion 3 to mak a complete revolution ina direction Opposite tothatbf thedisci; The'pinion'3will' remain stationary in its plane.

By theaddition of asecond disc or Wheel 5" to the disc lthrou gh the use of janintermediate sleeve 6, there is, provided a spool! like device having flanges provided" by: the

discsl and 5 and ja' body provided byithe sleeve 6. This spool like device is adaptedto rotate freely on the shaft of the central pi'n ion2. I

to have the same also supported by the disc 5 and there be secured-to" said shaft a blade 7 in any desired plane, the directionof said blade will-always remain constant without regard to the rotations of the discs 1 and '5" on the shaft of the pinion 2. I

The blade 7 being secured in a vertical 7 plane, i-fthe apparatusruns ontheground,

7 same vertically.

the blajde 7 will engage the ground andbe forced 'intoand again withdrawn i from the It will be obvious will take place forall' blades which may be mounted on'the-sha'fts of the pinions 3, and

arranged'along the periphery of the discs 1 and 5,;provided the pinions 3 are all'in mesh withpinion l. c

Figs. 3 and4 illustrate the-possible ar rangement of eight blades- -7 the eight pins that the same operation ions 3 are'extended and one or two of them (the upper one in the example) is in mesh with the pinion 4. The pinion 22 is extendt ed by a plain or sleeve portion 22", on which is loosely mounted a gear 8 meshing with all the extendedpinions 3', for'wh'ich it constitutesfa driving rack (oribetterf an interme diate pinion imparting to the differentpinions 3 the movementof the upper pinion 3.

{driven directly by pinion l).

According to the length of the blades, a number thereof will be in engagement with 7 the ground three in the example.

- -Howeversuch anchoring c in'f the ground may be insuficient because of the small number'of blades. Bfuta's the length offthe latter is limited as are jalsothe {sizes ofth'e disc'sl (wheels) and 5, the invention 7 makes use" ofmeans whereby the' number of blades may be e V v v 7 ,-..ja5

Tothisend, twotractlon wheels, each com prising adi'sc l and Iadisc 5; have their'discs increased sufiiciently;

5 united by 'appropriate securing meanslin' V order totem aaunitary traction 'wheel com: prising twoouter discs 1 and-a central 6.180

5 made up of the connecteddiscs 5 offthe central traction" wheels. In this arrangement, the two tractionwheels are displaced with 'rel'ationqto each other-by l/ l'dof IQVO :lut'ion. Thus I obtain eight blades 'at Zth'ei right and eight'bladesat the'leftf, alternating in the'central discs" ri ht, left, right,"etc'.',

and actingflike'sixteenb a-des, the length of which would have normally permittedthe arrangement "of eight blades only'on thewheel. 1 This special arrangement J been termed above. bi-lateral.

It will be-obvious thatythe' two flanges" joined together will forma singlejfiange 5j in practice,aprovided with 16 holes;

; Thethree flangesl- 5 "lare connected} I by means of two sleevesj or spool bodies 6' (-Fig; 6), connecting the wholeby meansofrivets andflbolts; "l hus l obtain a double 7 V w L Y spool with fianges,' loosely rotating on the If the shaft (if the Pinio'n'3is extended stationary shaft; e v

The Practical embb l of the traQtor illustratedin Figs. 8 to 22, 1 l

' 10 is the shaftsupporting thewhole mechr anism. Saidshaftsupportsthe chassis 17" secured thereto" by means; ofnuts l2; -zthe.

front of said chassis-frame-is connectedjto the engine (not shown) 'and the rear thereof carries across piece ,16 provided'with three V attachments 16 for the connection ofthe' im- 7 plement ormachine to be moved.

shaft 10; has an elon'gatedsleeve 22 the end portion of which is toothed (gear yvheeli 2: in Figs. 1-.7) whilst the remaining portion thereof is plain; Each sleeve has: a lever '15 attached in flat position' tothe beam ofthe chassis b y means of screwsgl5 Within the chassisframe each end of, the

:.,;'At the centralpart of the shaft. 10 carries 'thesloosei-disc 5" intendedsto support the shafts of: .tl1e-pinions";3.-. The arrangement being symmetricalfl on eitherside of the. disc 5 .1 have, forsake of clearness F in the draw: ings, illustrated the right handpart insec tion. below the shaft 10, in. elevationkabove' said shaft,,all the pinions-3 but onebeing supposed to" be omitted, and in elevation for the lefthand part (.onl' one'of thepinions 3 being-shown in section i i I '-=l oosely mounted on thershaft' x isithe V flange having eight holes for the reception ofitheshafts of the pinions 3. :Vertically'.

pinions3. Figj -fiyshows two pinions4one of which actuatesthe upper pinion 3, whilst the other actuates thellower pinion' -The flange 5 is connected'to the fiange l by means'of a sleeve6 constituting a spool as described with reference to'Fig. 4. 6 designates the bolts and rivets connecting the parts ofsaidsp'ool; 2 g i "The flange 1 along its periphery has eight standards (Fig. 17), eachofwhichhasa lateral terminalfl'ange' 31 formed with an opening for the passage of a bolt; Riveted to the back of said standards'iis "a rim. 18

of bolts passing through the holes I in the flanges 31'. Said cover carries the sprocket pinion 21-of the chain extending to the driv ing pinion38 (Figrl l of the engine; a Asthe arrangement is double, I obtain :a tractor member in which'the'blades remain always-vertical and the driving parts of said blades are completely hou'sedin a'tight case,

adapted-to contain oil introduced through 26 '7 and lubrication beingcaused throughathe holes 23.

As already mentioned above, the central flanges has 16 holes "for shafts ofpinions 3 (Fig; '18) the eight hatched holes32 serving for instance for the right handshafts ofzpin-f ions 3 and the others32 for the left hand shafts of pinions 3. In order to make the case tight, the flanges of the spools 6 willbe riveted (or soldered) onto theouter periphery ofthe disc 5 and the central periphery whereby the Construction shown in Figs. .14 and 18 will be obtained, .The spokes of said wheel willthe'refore'be housed within the tight case,

Thezblade s 7 are madeof ashape adapted to bevaried according to the use of thetra'c-l tor. 'In anagricultural tractor, they may be Fig; 8) on'which isfikeda cover=20 bymeans made of ithe; shapeshofwn in sectionand elevaa tion, in Figsfllygand 8.. They [may alsobe made'in the shape of rakeswithshorter teeth (Fig. 9'); in" the; case. of' a tractorintended .to move forwardly on icy surfaces =Forin-, stance, for the: conveyance 'of wood on frozen rivers. Moreover both. shapes maybe combined toform members of a singlepiece .(Fig.

10), being rakeeshaped onionesid'e of the shaft ofathe pinion 3 and blade-shapedon the opposite side. Preferably said combined the chassis-frame,"where they will be attachedi by means of screws 15. Owing to this movement all the. blades willbe moved through half.- a revolution .andzthe tractor member-will rest on theground by the rim .18: rlhe latter mayofcourse-be designed to;

receive apneumaticlor other tyre. :When using afcombined'blade and rake, the levers 15 should be adaptedto be fixed in three positions inorder to move the shaftsof the pinions 3 through a quarter. or half a revolution, if the tractor member is to be drawn in or therake or blade portions are to be used. 7 #On the otherhand, the. independence of the pinions '3 respectively located on the right and left hand sides of the disc 5', enables one of the levers 15 onlyto be actuatedto cause the tractormember tobe swung;

Fig. 14 shows diagrammatically the connection'of the-tractor member to the engine 36; 35 is'the drivers seat.

I The withdrawal of the blades mayalso be efleoted in'the mannershown in Figs. 14 and 20, in which an-rendle'ss screw 37 meshes with the outer toothed end ofthe sleeve 2, thearm 15 of which .is avoided. The revers ingmay be efiected from the right and left hand sides of the drivers seat.

The practical embodiment illustrated does not at all limit my: invention; the bridgelI may for instance be omitted and the intermediate wheels l'loosely mounted on a fixed shaft riveted to the flange 1, without depart ing from; the spirit of the invention.

1 Again the whole structure may be secured to .thecentral shaft, then journaled inbear-v ings provided in theframe 17 independent fromsaid central shaft},

For sake of simplification I may also are, range in the central disc 5" asingle gear 8 meshing directly with the ends of theshafts of l p io .3- @Th snn heriehtaed l i? big constructions in which the Wheel diameter-reaches and exceeds 1.50 meter, the

, bi-lateralfarrangement.willnotbe necessary,

the periphery of the wheel being sufli'cient'to arrange a great number of shafts without affecting theusefullength of the-blades, rakes and the like;

' For instance in a wheelhaving a diameter of-Qmeters, I will obtainQO blades arranged atdistances of centimeters from-each other and having' a useful length of 25 centimeters. It will be obvious; that in 'suchjconstructions the two intermediate wheels 4'wi1l be arranged within a caseand the rack 81 meshing withthe'pinion like ends 30f thelshafts within another case, thecentral wheel 5. being omitted.

- Havingnowfully-described my saidinven tion, what'I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: f I

.-1'. In a tractor rthecombinationof a, sta-. tionary" shaft, a gear. mounted on the shaft as a -center, aidisc loosely-mounted on'said shaft,means for actuating said. disc from the v engine, a'plurality of pinionsuniformly distributed onctheuperiphery of said disc,-a

toothed wheel arranged between saidgear and one ofthe lastmentionedpinions, and

9 wheelto the last mentioned the shaft of which is supportedby said disc, vertical. blades arranged on the shaftsof the last mentioned pinions in such a waythat they project from the'periphery of said. disc, and-a loose gear for transmitting movement. from that pinion engaged by the. toothed tially as set forth. i

- 2. In a tractor the combinationbf a stationary shaft, a gear mounted on the shaft as a center, a disc loosely mounted onsaid shaft, means for. actuating said disc from the engine, a plurality ofpinions uniformly distributed on the periphery of said I disc, toothed wheel arranged between said gear and one. of the last mentioned pinions, and the shaft of which is supported by said disc, vertical blades arranged on the shafts of the last mentioned pinions in such .a waythat they project from theperiphery of said disc,

and a loose gearfor transmitting movement from that: pinion engaged by the toothed. wheel to the last mentioned pinlons, means for rigidly connecting said stationary-shaft to the frame of the. tractor, a lever carried bysaid shaft and adapted to be turned down- Wardly, substantially as and for thepu set forth; I

3. In a tractorthe combination of a station'ary'shaft, a gear mounted on the shaft as a center, a disc loosely mounted onsaid" pinions, substane shaft, means for actuating said disc from the engine, a plurality of pinionsuniformly distributed on i the periphery of said disc,fa

toothed" wheel. arranged-"between. said gear and' one' of the last -mentioned pinions, and the shaft: of which is supported-by said .disc, verticalsblades arranged" onthe shafts of :the

last mentioned -.'p inions insuch away that theyiproject: from the periphery of said disc,fl I t and. a .l'oosefge'ar for transmitting: movement from that pinion engaged by thetoothed wheel tol'theilast mentioned pinions, means for rigidly connecting said stationary shaft to theiframe of the tractor, two levers carried.

by said shaft andadapted to be turned down Ward-1y, substantiallyas and for thepurpose set forth.

4; :In atractor the combination of asextionary shaft,'a gear mounted onthe shaft Jtheshaft of which is supported by said disc,

ventic'alblade's arranged onthe shaftsofthe- 'last' mentioned. pinions in suchra way that they iprojectfromthepperiphery of said disc,

and a loose gear. fortransmitting movement from that: pinion engaged; by theftoothed wheel to ,the lastmentioned pinionsya gear,

wheel: on said shaft anda worm. e1igag1ng said gear-wheel, substantially as and for the purpose set. forth.

5. In atractor the as acenter, a disc loosely inountedon-said shaft, means "for, actuating'salddisc from the engine, a'plurality of pinions'un'iformly dis-f tributed on 1 the periphery of' 'said disc, a: toothed. wheel arranged between said gear 1 andone of the last mentioned 'pinion's, and the I shaft of which is supported by said disc, vertical blades arranged on the shafts :of the last .mentioned pinions in. such a way that they project from the periphery ofsaiddisc,

and a loose gear for transmitting movement from that .pinioni engaged by the toothed wheel to the last mentioned pinions, a case enclosing all the pinions, anda toothed pinion carried by said case and actuated by the engine, aspool-shaped case to which said disc is zjoinedby either face, and means for cong necting-said case to ;the: inion containing case, substantially as and f forth. 3 1

rthejpurpose set "16-; Ina tractor, thecombination ofa stationary shaft, a stationary sleeve around apo'rtion of said shaft, a discloosely mounted on another portion of saidsha-ft, a toothed portion act I said} s'leei e actingas acomplete pinion, a plurality of pinionsuniformlyfdistributed on the'peripheryof .said disc, an

intermediate gear #wheel arranged 1 between:

10o .combinationwof a stae. tionar'yi. shaft, a gear mounted onthe shaft said toothed portion of said sleeve and one of the last mentionedpinions, the shaft of said gear wheel being supported by said disc, vertical blades arranged on theshafts of the last mentioned pinions in such a way that they r project from the periphery of said disc, an

7 other gear wheel loosely mounted on the nontoothed portion of said sleeve and meshing with all the last mentioned pinions, a cover and a rim secured to the said discover all said pinlons and gears; and means for actuating said disc by the engine.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 

